Give one, take one
I’ve always loved those “Give a penny, Take a penny” cups, which allow you to unburden yourself of worthless change and yet be able to come up with exact change for an item costing $10.04. Yesterday I came up with a similar idea for used medical equipment.
I’m just starting to realize how much all those things I found so invaluable during my recovery cost. I was appalled to get a bill for $130 for the porta-potty I brought home from the hospital. The crutches cost $50. The walker, the reacher, the sock putter-onner, the foam thing to hold my legs apart while I slept, etc. They all had a cost. And now that I’m almost recovered, I own a bunch of things I hope never to need again which take up space in my house.
I’m thinking about turning my unused basement sewing room into a storage space for used medical equipment. People who want to find a good home for used things could either bring them to me or call and I would come pick them up. Others who are just coming home from the hospital could come by and select from my current inventory or tell me where to drop off things I might have.
There would be no monetary exchange. But I think it would be a win-win for donors and recipients. And it would be a great way to recycle equipment that is barely used.
If I actually pull this off, I will need to find a way to advertise this service. I’m wondering if hospitals would make this information available to patients or whether they would prefer to keep taking their share of the price of these items. Maybe an ad on Craig’s List would be all I need.
What do you think? Have anything you would like to get rid of?
posted by Barbara at 9:46 AM
21 Comments:
I've never understood why more medical equipment isn't reused or recycled, except that, as you say, the hospitals and suppliers stand to profit from selling new. Isn't there someplace you could donate that stuff, so that you don't have to become a clearing house personally?
Yes, I still have something, don`t know the name, which I don`t need anymore and would love to recycle!
Wonderful idea, Barbara - but as you said, probably not welcome to hospitals. So you ought to advertise privately and will probably make a lot of people happy!
Steve -- My whole interest in doing this is to save others the cost and inconvenience of acquiring the equipment. I don't think it would take a lot of work on my part and it would be a great community service for people who might not be able to afford the equipment at all otherwise.
Angela -- I am feeling pretty determined to figure out how to make this work!
If there is anyone with a kind heart in the medical industry out there reading this who has ideas, please pass them along to me!
Can I have the Ironing Board?
Bulletholes -- I would be most happy to unload the ironing board and any number of other things my son dumped in our basement basement before heading off for Germany. Where shall I send it? :)
That's a really nice idea! You might be able to get some references from the various charitable agencies and religious organizations. On the other hand, I have heard that the Whitman Walker Clinic accepts all kinds of donations of medical supplies, including unused prescriptions, but that is very third hand information.
Now I hate to be negative about such a nice idea, but there are other things you might want to consider before you undertake this saintly venture. If you advertise your free items on Craigslist there are those who will come by to pick up some of your things because they might come in handy one day when they break their hip. There are people like that out there. And other people would come to your house to get the free items and then then sell them on Craigslist or eBay because I know some people that get by that way when they are unemployed. Also I'd think twice before I invited unknown people into my basement to pick out what they might need. They might want more than just the medical stuff.
So I guess I've just thrown a huge wet blanket on your idea and now I feel like a jerk. But I'm concerned about your safety. If it were me, I'd just donate the items somewhere.
Medical Equip is reused all of the time in our town. We have a special shop for donated equip run by our local hospital, as well as a shop for new things. I was browsing and saw many sets of what looked like brand new crutches - and walkers-all priced at about 5 dollars per set, but at this shop, if you can't afford the price, they lower it even further.
Cyndy -- I've been known to go into things naively, so I appreciate the cautions. I actually spoke to someone at Washington Hospital Center, where I had my surgery. If I could just work out something where THEY would be the ones referring people to me, I think it would be fine. Yeah, Craig's List does invite unwanted riff-raff!
Avid -- That's exactly that I had in mind. Maybe someone will tell me it already exists here. I don't need to reinvent the wheel, just to make sure it's still rolling around here.
I think this is a brilliant idea! "Our" doctor and your pt people might have an idea about where you could advertise other than Craig's list. But jaundiced as I am, I fear someone might just take the things and sell them. (Just read Cyndy's response.......am afraid I agree that might happen.) And do check with the Whitman Walker clinic! Good luck with this worthwhile project.
Kate -- I was planning to pick "our doctor"'s brain on this. She is always so practical.
I swear to God Barbara you are like some kind of Patch Adams or something.
Just take it to Goodwill!
Bulletholes -- This isn't so much about my unloading some things I no longer need, but rather about providing such things at NO COST to people who would have a hard time paying for them otherwise. If you take your stuff to Goodwill, they turn around and sell it, not at the gouging price that it originally has, but it's not free. I seriously doubt they even take things like used porta-potties, which can easily be cleaned and be as good as new.
Bulletholes was unclear on the concept of taking from those who no longer need and passing on to those who do need.
It's a wonderful idea and can't believe some organization is not doing this already. You might have found a niche to fill, Barbara!
:)
I love that idea! I would totally pass along some goods, but unfortunately, I actually use both the knee immobilizer on a regular basis. Same with the crutches. I should probably just get rid of my stilts.
Believe me, if you donate these to something like Avid suggests, you will be helping so many who cannot afford them. I'm glad you no longer need them.
When my dad died, I took all his medical stuff to a place that matched it with people who needed it.
Wonderful..I know you will somehow connect with the right people who will benefit from it, however you manage to make it happen! :)
Merle -- I'm trying to be that place, but maybe that's a little ambitious!
hEY bARB!
iN MY OWN RUDE AND SMART ASSED WAY i WAS TRYING TO SAY THAT YOU SEEMED A MITE AMBITIOUS...(ooops)
So, in an effort to be more positive I googled up the United Way which seemed to be able to help my mother in some rather unique way when she was ill and I found this in Conneticut...they may have something similar in MD, I don't even know if its relevant, I don't have that much time to look...
http://www.ctunitedway.org/Media/guidesheets/Disability.pdf
I sold a relative's things on Craig's List and Pennysaver. You don't get back what you paid for it, but at least it's out of the house. Just insist in your listing of "cash only."
Our church has a "medical closet" in which they have the same idea as you-- donate to it, for someone else to use.
I bet some churches/synagogues (sp) in your area have that also. You might get in touch w/ them??? Tina
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